A Perfect World
by synchrogirl
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without p
1. Prologue: The Perfect Dream

A Perfect World  
  
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?  
  
Prologue: The Perfect Dream   
  
Sakura woke up, sweat dripping down her forehead, neck, face. That dream again. She had it. Again. But what did it mean?  
  
She hardly remembered any of it. Just that there were a lot of.... people. Lots of people. Dead people, maybe? No. There wasn't any blood. But, then again, there is more than one way to kill a person...  
  
Perhaps they were all in a trance? A spell maybe? Why would someone – something – want so many people... down? Out of the way? She shivered again, trying to recall memories of the dream. It was hard, considering all that haunted her mind were the people. Than, it came to her. It wasn't a memory of where she was; who was there; or even when this dream took place. It was an emotion... lots of them. Hatred, fright, pai, happiness, love and....  
  
....perfection? 


	2. Chapter 1: An Almost Perfect World

A Perfect World  
  
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?  
  
Chapter 1: An Almost Perfect World  
  
"I keep thinking of that dream!" The Card Mistress cried out in frustration. "Why can't I remember?" Sakura, determined to show her frustration, banged her locker with a tight fist. Luckily, only she and her boyfriend, Syaroan, were left in the hallway after school. "Owwwww...."  
  
She heard Syaroan chuckle at the scene beside him.  
  
"I don't see anything funny about this..." Sakura muttered, even though they both knew she wasn't really mad at him. It was only a year since he had finished business in China, and come back to Japan just to be with her. Though, he was called away a lot on family business, he made an effort to spend as much time as possible with her. Sakura sighed again, rubbing her red hand.   
  
Syaroan wrapped his arms around her looking at the hand which had just met with an unfortunate fate concerning a defenseless locker, which now had a slight dent from the teenagers' rage. "I'm sure you'll remember your dream, Sakura. Give it time."   
  
"Aren't you worried in the slightest? I mean, once I do remember, I have to figure it out!"  
  
"Not at all." Syaroan murmured into her ear. "You always pull through in the end. You'll -"  
  
"We'll." Sakura corrected him.  
  
"...We'// beat this thing." Syaroan smiled into his girlfriend's eyes. This is what he loved about her. She was never greedy or selfish. She could have easily though less of him because he failed at being Card Master, but she didn't. Not Sakura. She was a real team player. She loved him for who she was. "Tomoyo is going to kill us."  
  
Sakura took a step back, her eyes confused. "Why?"  
  
"We were supposed to meet her and Eriol in..." Syaroan glanced at his watch, "fifteen minutes ago."  
  
"The 'in' and 'ago' are two separate tenses..." Sakura tilted her head as it struck her. They were late. "We are in SOOOOO much trouble!"  
  
*****  
  
"Where are they?" Tomoyo grumbled. Beside her, a calm, Meiling was sitting silently. Her, Meiling and Eriol were waiting for the two "lovebirds" in their favorite cafe – Mango Tango. They had an outside table to enjoy the September air. "This isn't like Syaroan to be late..."  
  
"Most likely he's with Sakura. I'm only here in Japan for a week and the first thing he says to me is ' Meiling, your supper's in the fridge, watch TV until I get back.' He got back at 2 am!" Meiling giggled at Eriol, who was rolling his eyes. " I suppose he was with Sakura the whole time... how are those two getting along?"  
  
Eriol cleared his throat. "Enormously well. Although, we don't see him much... not that it would matter. His mouth is always very tied up."  
  
Meiling laughed at Eriol's comment. "Really? I haven't seen Syaroan in a year! He changed so much already? Oh look – is that them?"  
  
All three friends turned their heads to see a young girl running towards them, pulling along a amber eyed boy. Tomoyo laughed at the sight before her eyes. Still, now that they were in grade 10, Sakura would always be... Sakura! "Sakura, dear, we know that no matter what you will always be late for everything.... but, must you make Syaroan late as well?"  
  
"It wasn't my fault, Tomoyo!"  
  
"Who's was it?"  
  
"Syaroan's."  
  
"WHAT?" Syaroan, who now stood behind Sakura, shouted.   
  
Sakura smiled innocently. "Yes?"  
  
"Sakura! It was your fault! If you hadn't been denting lockers-"  
  
"It's my fault that the locker was easy to dent?"  
  
  
  
"We would have left earlier and been here on time if you hadn't been correcting me on tenses!"  
  
"Exactly! It's your fault you have such bad grammar!"  
  
"STOP!!!" Tomoyo shouted. "It's both of your faults! Alright? How you guys ever get along beats me!"  
  
Sakura and Syaroan both sat down in the two empty chairs, sheepishly glancing at one another. Syaroan turned his head to his left, away from Sakura. His eyes went big as he saw a certain someone beside him. "MEILING?"  
  
Meiling knit her eyebrows in a confused look. "Yeah?"  
  
"You're – you're.... here?"  
  
"Yeah. You didn't pick me up after school... you had to wait for Sakura. So, Tomoyo and Eriol picked me up on the way here."  
  
"What – I was supposed to be at the airport today?"  
  
Meiling's mouth dropped. "Airport? I was at your place!"  
  
"HOW DID YOU GET IN?"  
  
Meiling smacked her forehead, finally realizing why her cousin was acting all strange. He didn't remember picking her up yesterday. "Syaroan, you picked me up from the airport at 5 pm yesterday, stayed out till 2, and left before I woke up. Remember? I came to visit?"  
  
Syaroan, the realization hitting him, nodded. "Oh yeah. Sorry. I guess I should... get more sleep?" The whole table sweat drops. Expect for Sakura.  
  
"You were out until 2 am last night?" Sakura asked, anger in her voice. "Where were you?"  
  
Syaroan smiled nervously. "Uh... I was..." Syaoran paused. If he was going down, so was his partner in crime. "Eriol, tell them where we were."  
  
Now, it was Tomoyo's turn to have an anger outburst. "Eriol! You were with Syaroan... partying till two am? Start EXPLAINING!"  
  
Eriol shot daggers in Syaroan's direction. "Baby, I-"  
  
"DON'T YOU CALL ME THAT!"  
  
Syaoran and Eriol looked from one another. "Uh... Eriol? I just remembered- I had to do something!"  
  
"Right behind you, Syaroan!" Eriol and Syaroan made a mad dash for Syaroan's car, making out it before their girlfriend's could even protest.  
  
"Dancing with other... girls?" Sakura asked. "I think I need to go home..."  
  
"I'll drive you." Tomoyo offered, pointing to her car. "Luckily, I took my car today."  
  
Sakura shook her head. "No... it's okay. I want to walk." An evil look took over her face. "Maybe I'll go over to Syaroan's and pretend to be really mad! Meiling... don't go home yet. Alright?"  
  
Meiling laughed. "No problem."  
  
"Now this," Tomoyo said, "will be worth filming!"  
  
*****  
  
Syaroan leaned back into a chair of his apartment's living room. Was partying at a club that bad? It wasn't as if he drank, or even danced with another girl! Too bad Sakura doesn't know that, Syaroan! Was she really that mad? A knock on his door told him he was going to find out.  
  
He slowly walked to the door, which was suffering from continuous knocking. The person must know he's home. He sighed, opening his door.  
  
"Sakura... hey... baby, I-" Syaoran started, trying to start the conversation off right.  
  
"Syaroan Li. I can't believe that you were out in a club until 2 am!" Sakura pushed her way through placing a hand on Syaroan's chest, pushing him backwards into his living room. "I am SO offended! How could you? I though we had trust! And now... you're... you're... dancing with other woman! Is there something wrong with me? Are my boobs to big? Does my butt stick out? Does-"  
  
Syaroan paled at his girlfriend's outburst. "No, no! Sakura... NO! There's nothing wrong with you! I-"  
  
Sakura put on the most dramatic face she could. Like Elle Woods in Legally Blond when her boyfriend breaks up with her. "There must be something if you have to go behind me back and grind with other woman!"  
  
"Sakura! I didn't grind-"  
  
Sakura exaggerated a gasp. "NO. You didn't!?!"  
  
Syaoran sighed, thinking he finally got through to her. "Yes, I-"  
  
Sakura smacked him. "You admit to sleeping with them! I knew it!"  
  
Syaroan fell down, tripping on the couch behind him. Landing back down, he touched his tender cheek, kicking himself mentally for being so stupid as to try as say ' Yes, I'm glad you believe me.' I should have known she was talking about that!  
  
"I'm sorry, Syaoran. This just isn't working out between us!" Sakura faked tears, almost laughing at Syaoran's shocked, paled face. "I thought you loved me, but, I guess, all these years, you were just playing with me!"  
  
"Sakura! What? No, NO! What... I... huh? Where are you going!" Syaroan pushed himself off the couch to see Sakura walking away, towards the door.  
  
"Syaroan, I thought you were different than all other men. But, I guess we were never meant to be. We both want to be with other people."   
  
"Sakura! I want to be with you- we both want to be with other people?"  
  
Sakura smiled. This was the finale. "Can I help it if my male strippers are attractive?"  
  
"Your... strippers!?" Syaoran's face fell.  
  
Sakura smiled. "Tomoyo, did you get that all on tape?"  
  
Tomoyo came out of Syaoran's kitchen, Meiling following behind "Sure did, Sakura! You ought to be an actress! You sure had Syaroan going!"  
  
Syaoran, not sure what was going on, looked helplessly at Sakura's two best friends laughing as they walked out of the apartment imitating the fight. "Sakura..."  
  
Sakura. smiled, closing the door behind her. "You think, for an instant, that I'd give you up for male strippers? Or, for that matter, that I have any?" Sakura put her arms around his neck. Syaroan looked stunned, not knowing what to say.  
  
"I... Sakura... what are you trying to say?"  
  
Sakura laughed again. Pulling herself up close against him she lowered her mouth on his. "What do you think?"  
  
Syaroan smiled. "Guess I deserved it, huh? I didn't tell you-"  
  
"I don't care about that, Syaroan! Just make sure to invite me next time.. okay?"  
  
"You're... you're... saying it's okay then?"  
  
Sakura nodded. "I have enough trust.. and love... that you wouldn't do anything... anything... naughty."  
  
Syaoran looked down. "I gotta confess something Sakura."  
  
  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"I... kinda... knocked up some girl."  
  
Sakura's eyes grew big. She let go of his neck. "You... did?" Her voice was meek. Syaoran.. I can't believe this!  
  
Syaoran pulled her closer to him. Leaning forwards towards her ear he whispered a single, yet simple word into it. "Gotcha." Sakura looked up, shocked from what she just heard. She smirked.   
  
"Guess.. that was fair?"  
  
"Yeah... Sakura." His voice was horse at the end, making her giggle. "Pancakes?"  
  
"Hmmmm, yeah." She bounced off with him towards the kitchen. Can life get any better? She looked at her boyfriend get out the flour. I guess... nothing can be perfect. Maybe.. if we had more time together. If we weren't pulled apart so much. I guess life will never be perfect... but, this is as close as it gets! She laughed, walking over to help a flour covered Syaroan clean up the mess on spilled flour on the floor. Moments like these almost made her forget...  
  
"Sakura? You coming?"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
"Hey....your hand sure bruised fast. So is your arm. Did you hit you arm too?"  
  
Sakura's face dropped. Her face paled. "What?," was all she could whisper.  
  
*****  
  
A figure stood on the street covered by the shade of a tree, looking at the apartment building the Card Mistress was in. "Nothing can be perfect?" A tear rolled down her face. "It's about time perfection is achieved."   
  
Slowly, vanished. The sun shed light on her face, revealing a hurt expression. "There will be no more hurt. No more..." 


	3. Chapter 2: Revelations: An Almost Perfec...

A Perfect World  
  
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?  
  
~*~*~ = flashbacks*** (cause you can't see the italics)  
  
Chapter 2: Revlations: An Almost Perfect World Turned Upside Down  
  
~*~*~*~*~* (Flashback Start)  
  
"Mr. Kinomoto? Sakura? Hi. I'm Dr. Higgiens, a specialist in diseases of the blood."  
  
"Diseases of the blood? My daughter came to this clinic for blood work. Her physican suspected low white cell count... lack of iron or something. She can't isn't sick." Sakura's father grasped his 15 year olds hand tightly.  
  
"Please, calm down Mr. Kinomoto. Sakura came to your family doctor with a fever and tiredness?"  
  
  
  
"She's very active. Probably just pushed herself too far. Nationals are coming up soon. Her gymnastic competition."  
  
"I see. Lots of bruises lately, Sakura?" Dr. Higgins narrowed his eyes on the scared 15 year old.   
  
How did he know? Sure, being in gymnastics you were victim to the occasional fall and injury- in a serve case a sprained limb or even a broken bone- but she had been getting a few more bruises lately. And she didn't even remember falling that often...  
  
"I have bruises, sure." Sakura felt his eyes stare at her legs where multiple purple spots covered her shins. Why did she wear her school uniform? "So what?"  
  
Dr. Higgins smiled gently. "Well, the lab work has come in; were afraid it's not as easy to cure as lack of iron. Do you know what leukemia is, Sakura?"  
  
Sakura's eyes widened. That couldn't be what she thought it was.... no. It just couldn't. "I... don't think so."  
  
"My daughter does not have cancer!" Mr. Kinomoto barked. Sakura gasped. Both eyes turned toward the young girl who was now crying.   
  
"Cancer? I have.... cancer?" Sakura whispered.  
  
"Please, Sakura, it's going to be okay." Mr. Kinomoto said in an attempt to calm her down. "We want a second option, Dr. Higgins."  
  
"I don't... want to die! Will my hair fall out? Will I be hospitalized for a long time? Daddy, Syaoran just came back from Hong Kong four months ago... I'm in Nationals next month! I can't be... sick! How will kids treat me when they find out?"  
  
"Sakrua... please. Dr. Higgins? What are you trying to say here?"  
  
"That Sakura will have to start treatment this afternoon, after arrangements are made with her school. No one will know unless you tell them, Sakura. Not even the teachers. We can provide that much. As for your questions on how long we'll need to fight this thing for...."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~ *(Flashback End)  
  
"Miss Kinomoto?"  
  
Sakura jumped as a voice brought her back to the present. Blowing out all her air, she closed her eyes. "Relax, Sakura. Relax. It'll be fine," she told herself. Turning her head towards her Father, she felt a gentle squeeze from a hand beside her. "Thanks Dad. I'm sure this check up will be as good as the others."  
  
"Is that why you wanted an extra one? You just had one a week ago... your not due back here for another 5 weeks. I can understand if your nervous from last time-"  
  
"Dad... they just mixed up results last time. No big deal."  
  
"Are you sure your not here because your still worried they were yours?"  
  
"No, Dad! Honestly, I just... I know I won't be able to sleep until I have the doctor say I'm okay again."  
  
"Miss Kinomoto?"  
  
Sakura stood up and waved at the nurse. "Coming. Wait for me here?"   
  
"Check ups take three hours!"  
  
"But, I drove us here."  
  
"I can get Touya to pick me up. Besides, you don't need me here to have a doctor say your okay again. Alright? See you at home tonight?"  
  
"Yeah... sure. Bye."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~ (Flashback Start)  
  
  
  
"Hey Dad. You were here yesterday... why are you here again? I thought you were only going to visit every second day. It's too hard on you to be here everyday!"  
  
Mr. Kinomoto laughed. "So your saying that I can't visit?"  
  
"Dad, It's been 3 weeks. I'm obviously not going anywhere. Who knows how much longer I'll be stuck here for? A month? Two months? You might as well concentrate on work instead."  
  
"Sakura... you know negativity isn't going to get you anywhere."  
  
Sakura turned her gaze toward the window. "Including Nationals."   
  
"They're next week!"  
  
"Look, just scratch me from the competition. I'm not going."  
  
"Maybe not this year, but they'll be other years."  
  
Sakura looked down, her usual cheerful green eyes cold. "If I ever get well enough to work on a routine. That took me the whole year, Dad. I read about this leukemia. Once you go into "remission" you have to stay cancer free for five years before your cured. Even then... people get sick again. Relapses happen... how do I say this nicely? Often. Really often. Usually... not even six months after remission. So, tell me Dad. Will there be other years for me?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~ (Flashback END)  
  
"Hello Miss Kinomoto. Wait here. So your last checkup was.... a week ago? Wait, this must be wrong."  
  
"No, no. It's right."  
  
"Oh. Were you asked to come back? It states here you're in remission."  
  
"I am. I just wanted a blood test done.... again."  
  
"Miss, the doctor is busy. Could you maybe talk to-"  
  
"What blood type was recorded on my last check up?"  
  
"Why, O. And it had no signs of-"  
  
Sakura lowered her voice to a whisper. "I'm AB."  
  
*****  
  
Dad, it's me. Sakura. I'm going to be home late. Bye. Sakura hung up the phone. Her emotionless voice threated to break. She wouldn't let it. Not this time. Was there a positive side? That kid, whoever had type O blood, and his family was going to get good news tonight. The kid was still cancer free. And whoever that lab worker was who mixed up files... Just because the other name was Kinomota.... could he not have seen she was clearly an AB? And 17....not 4? The first time he had it right... how did he decide he was wrong again? Oh yeah. His A's looked like O's. Kinomoto. Kinomota. Thought he had a mix up.... but really he didn't.   
  
"Too good to be true."  
  
*****  
  
Sakura walked thorough the school hallways. Empty. No students were there. Not that she'd miss them where she was going. Come Monday morning, she'd have to tell everyone. Not like last time.... she didn't tell anyone. Everyone thought she went on a vacation. Not even the teachers knew. Just the principal. She had agreed to let Sakura study and keep up her courses in Tokyo Hospital for two and half months.  
  
She walked into history late. "Take your seat Miss Kinomoto. Coming in half an hour late... you must have really slept in. You'll report for detention-"  
  
Sakura wordlessly handed a note to her teacher to sign. The teacher looked up in surprise. An excused leave for an unknown length of time. Didn't Sakura Kinomoto just go on a 10 week vacation at the beginning of the year? "I expect you'll take your books today?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Alright. Here you go. Signed."  
  
"Thank you." Sakura bit her lip. She could feel the class stare. Out of the corner of her eye Tomoyo, Syaoran, Eriol and the rest of her friends were all looking at her with questionable faces. She headed for the door, tears threating to fall out. She ran into her car, resting her head on the the steering wheel. I don't want too back to the hospital. Not now. Not ever. "But I never get what I want. I wish I had a perfect life.... it's not fair." The second relapse makes your odds of dying greater, hospitalization longer.  
  
*****  
  
Sakura waited patiently for Syaoran. She sat at their favorite table in Mango Tango- isolated from everyone else. She tapped her foot to the rhythm of the music playing.   
  
"Sakura?" Sakura looked up in surprise. This had been happening a lot lately. She smiled at her inside joke- first the nurse, now Syaoran. Gotta stop daydreaming. Thank God I know my name so well.. or no one would be able to wake me up.  
  
  
  
"Hey. How are you?" Sakura put on a fake, cheery smile.  
  
Syaoran smiled back; she had looked really worried when he first walked in. "Good, good.... you weren't in school today. How come? I mean I saw you in history... Dad taking you on another holiday?"   
  
Sakura smiled. "Not really. Syaoran," Sakura took his hand in hers, tears on the edge of her eyes. "I'm not going to come back to school for a long time." She finished lamely.  
  
Syaoran looked at her in confusion. "You already.... missed 10 weeks...." Sakura now had tears running down her cheeks.   
  
"Syaoran.... I want you to know that if you want to break up.... it's okay...."  
  
Syaoran's eyes widened. "Sakura? What are you talking about? Of course I don't! I-"  
  
"Please, Syaoran. I'm not sure if I'm coming back at all this year..."  
  
"Sakura-"  
  
"Syaoran, listen to me! Formal is coming up, and... you deserve to... have a date." Sakura paused to try and collect herself. "Syaoran... if you love me like you say you do.... please, can you do these few little things for me? Promise?"  
  
Syaoran nodded mutely. "Of course, Sakura.... promise. What things?"  
  
"Don't tell Meiling, Eriol, Tomoyo... or anyone else that I might not come back? I'm sure they'll figure it out eventually. I want them to think I'm on vacation with my Dad for as long as possible... alright?"  
  
"I can't lie to them Sakura...."  
  
"Your not lying if it can hurt them, Syaoran."  
  
Syaoran slowly nodded, even though it almost killed him "What... else?"  
  
"I want to... break up."  
  
Syaoran shook his head. "After all that's happened? After I came from Hong Kong-"  
  
"You should go back. After I leave the day after tomorrow, they'll be nothing keep you here. Please. You promised me, Syaoran.... you promised."  
  
"I can't just forget you like that.... I can't just leave."  
  
Sakura shook her head. "And I don't want you to forget me. That's last of all and most important. I never want you to forget me." Sakura glanced at her watch. She had to get home. "I... have to go now. Tomorrow... were going to the mall with the others... none of this ever happened. Alright?" Sakura got up and walked over to her car. Before she got in, a strong hand grabbed her arm.  
  
"So that's it? You expect me to just be okay with all of this?," a cold voice spoke into her ear. "Your just going to walk away out of all of our lives again? Well, I just have one question for you, Sakura. Why? Why disappear again?"  
  
Sakura turned herself around, now facing hurt amber eyes. "I can't tell you, because I love you."  
  
"Sakrua.... please, just tell me."  
  
  
  
"Will you go away?," Sakura's voice was quiet.  
  
Syaoran's amber eyes filled up with tears. For one of the first time in his life he was feeling emotion. Not like the happiness of finally reuniting with Sakura, or the pain of being away for so long in Hong Kong before.... it was fear. Fear that she wouldn't come back. She said going away for a long time... she didn't say anything about coming back. "Your worried that you'll never come back. You don't want anyone you love hurt. But... it hurts me to know that you don't trust me enough to know. To handle this. Bye Sakura. See you tomorrow."  
  
Sakura got into her car, resting her head on the steering wheel. Tears of pain fell from her eyes. The day after tomorrow she'd be in the hospital, receiving treatment. Sh had asked for two days to tie up loose ends.... Last week she thought about how perfect her life was. Practically nothing was wrong. "I'm defiantly reconsidering that thought...." 


	4. Chapter 3: Dreams Do Come True

**A Perfect World**  
  
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?  
  
**Chapter 3: Dreams Do Come True**  
  
Sakura walked around the mall. Syaroan was beside her, looking quite angry. She sighed; if only this hadn't happened. She should have trusted him enough to tell him. "Syaroan?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"Syaroan?" Sakura rolled her eyes, glancing behind her to Tomoyo and Eriol. They were so cute together.... so honest. Her eyes filled with water as she silently slipped away from the group...  
  
"TOMOYO!! Please.... no more shopping! PLEASE!" Eriol pleaded. "My arms hurt..."  
  
"WAIT!!!! I like this shop too! C'mon Eriol, Meiling. Syaoran? Sakura? Syaroan where's Sakura?"  
  
Syaoran glanced beside him. His girlfriend was gone. "Uh... washroom?"  
  
"Oh. Wait for her, okay?" Tomoyo shouted back to him, while dragging Eriol and Meiling into the store.  
  
"Sure...." He banged his head on the wall. Where are you Sakura? True, he and Sakura were fighting. But, why did she run off? The plan was to make their friends think nothing had happened. Talk about it later. "Sakura.... where are you?"  
  
Sakura wandered mindlessly around the mall. Thinking about the past few days of her life....  
  
_"Hey, honey. Your home late." Mr. Kinomoto looked up from his paper at his daughter. "You sounded very.... cold over the phone. What's up? You and Syaoran had a fight?"  
  
"I wish." Sakura sadly smiled and tossed her transfer papers towards her Dad.   
  
"What's this?" Sakura looked down as her Dad's face fell. "I don't understand... a week ago you were fine...."  
  
"No. A week ago I wasn't fine. I was sick. The stupid lab person didn't mix up my results. The first ones- the one where is pointed to a relapse- were right. He only thought he made a mistake. I'm bruising, Dad. I'm not okay anymore...."  
  
"Two days? We sign into Tokyo Hospital two days? Why not right away?" Mr. Kinomoto sat down, Sakura saw tears in his eyes.  
  
"I asked for Friday / Saturday to clear things up at school and stuff...."  
  
"Don't be silly. You'll go tonight and start treatment. Sooner the better."  
  
"Dad, I can't go back so soon.... I'm sorry.... please, this is hard on me...."  
  
Mr. Kinomoto's face softened. "You should have called me... you don't have to deal with this alone, Sakura. I can take the weight for you best I can-"  
  
"Exactly, Dad. 'Best you can.' Some things, you just can't save me from....."  
_  
Nobody felt a strong aura surround the city. Nobody but Sakura. She wandered around the mall, more tired than usual. Tired from jogging so much. Tired from hiding from him. She inhaled sharply, coming to a stop. Does no one feel this aura? This... this.. power? She looked around seeing the others walking away without her, like she was forgotten. Why... where are they going? Are they leaving without me? I-I- feel as if... someone powerful is calling me. No. Calling my power. Sakura looked around. Something was wrong. And it wasn't her cancer.  
  
Sakura broke into an all out run. People didn't even realize she was there, as if she didn't exist. She reached towards her neck, pulling out her star key.   
  
"Key which hides the power of the stars; reveal to me your true form; I, Sakura, command you under our contract; Release! Jump!" She jumped high into the air, landing on the third floor railing. She gazed out into the mall, trying to figure out where this power was coming from. Right; Left; Down;... Up. She must go up. "It's coming from outside." Sakura whispered to herself. She looked towards the door on the first floor. It wasn't there. Where's the door? All around her, people began to drop, almost like they were dead, on the ground. What's happening? Sakura ran over to a middle aged woman, trying to feel for a pulse. She's... she's... sleeping! They all are!  
  
But, why am I still awake?  
  
Dreams do come true. Her dream just came true. And she hadn't even figured it out yet. So much for Syaoran's faith in her.  
  
Sakura began scanning the whole mall. Everyone was asleep. Her eyes stopped when she reached the first floor. There she found her four teenagers. Eriol; Meiling; Tomoyo and Syaroan.  
  
"Now, I'm scared." 


	5. Chapter 4: Perfect Worlds

**A Perfect World**  
  
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?  
  
**Chapter 4: Perfect Worlds  
**  
**{Tomoyo's World}**  
  
_"Tomoyo!"  
  
Tomoyo Daidoji turned around to see her best friend, Sakura Kinomoto, running towards her. "Tomoyo, wait up!"   
  
"What is it, Sakura?" Tomoyo's hair swayed in the breeze, making the seventeen year old look very angelic. Tomoyo's eyes glittered their amethyst purple, like always.   
  
"Your song was beautiful, today! I wish I could sing like you..." Sakura babbled on as she and Tomoyo walked along. The sun was shining on them. The trees were swaying in the wind. The birds were singing their never ending song. All that was missing was...  
  
"Eriol." The lavender hair girl breathed. Sakura smiled at her friend.   
  
"Surprise! You work so hard on improving your magic Tomoyo, so I thought I'd bring Eriol here to help you take your mind off everything! I owe you for setting up me and Syaroan, anyway!" Sakura giggled as she walked away, leaving the two of them alone.  
  
"Tomoyo." Eriol breathed. "My beautiful Tomoyo..."  
  
"Eriol, I've become much more powerful! Like Sakura and -"  
  
Eriol brought a finger to Tomoyo's lips. "I don't care about Sakura, right now. I only care about you. I'm glad your magic has improved."  
  
Tomoyo sighed. Life should always be this perfect! No longer was she the tag along without magic; no longer was Sakura the only one who got the attention in battle.   
  
"Don't think, Tomoyo."  
  
"This is like a dream, Eriol," she whispered._

_

* * *

_ "Thunder!" Sakura called out. The glass roof shattered. "Shield! Erase!" The glass hit Shield, only to be erased by Erase. "Jump!" Sakura leaped up, landing on the roof of Tokyo Mall.   
  
Sakura, about to fly out into the blacking sky, but a black bubble aught her instead. "Syaroan!" Sakura called out as the bubble carried her away, toward a black castle that had once been a radio tower. _

* * *

_  
**{Meiling's World}**  
  
_Meiling walked around an empty ballroom, dressed up in a Chinese style red dress, waiting for someone. Someone special. Her someone.   
  
"Meiling..."  
  
Meiling looked up. There, at the entrance of the room, stood a man with bright blue eyes and light brown hair., holding a flower."Taylor?," she questioned. Taylor was the American exchange student who came to Hong Kong just a month before spring break.  
  
"Meiling, I love you.."  
  
Meiling was taken back. Wasn't this always what she wanted? To be loved? To belong to someone in a special way? Like Sakura belonged to Syaroan? Like Tomoyo belonged to Eriol? Was it possible that she, Meiling Li, could find love? Wasn't this all she wanted? What she told Sakura back in Japan all those years ago? What she was waiting for?  
  
"Taylor..."  
  
Taylor walked up to Meiling, wrapping his arms around her. Meiling sighed, letting all her worry escape her mind. She accepted the red rose her brought her.  
  
This is all so perfect! Just like in all my dreams! I can't believe this is all true!_

* * *

Sakura awoke to a dark room. She stood up, tightening her grip on her Star Wand. Where am I? She looked around, scared. Sakura had visible bruises on her legs and arms where she had been tossed around and thrown on the hard ground. All around she felt coldness. The trademark always left behind in her currant dreams.   
  
"Card Mistress..."  
  
"Who's there?" Sakura looked toward a girl who stood about 6 feet even, with blue-gray hair that fell to her feet and deep, gray eyes. She wore a simple white dress and a strong, black aura surrounded her.   
  
She felt her eyes tear up. "What are you doing to all those people?"  
  
"Card Mistress, it's like you said. You wished that life was perfect! It was your will that finally allowed me to accomplish my life goal! To create everyone's perfect world!"  
  
Sakura shook her head. "So they're all... in their own world?"  
  
The girl smiled. "Yes. Like sleeping. An eternal sleep. Everything is the way they want it to be.. where nobody hurts. Everyone is happy this way. No longer will perfection be impossible to achieve!" She paused for a second, taking in the young girl before her. "Card Mistress, just look outside Or, rather, into your friend's perfect worlds." Waving her hand, a four "windows" appeared in the darkness. In each window, one of the four friends was in some sort of a separate world. A cry of utter pain escaped her lips....   
  
"Tomoyo! Eriol! Meiling! Syaroan!"  
  
She laughed at Sakura's foolishness. "They can't hear you. But... you called that one Syaoran? You hurt him so badly that he wasn't even a challenge to put under my spell. His life was so far from perfect... his world is my masterpiece!"  
  
Sakura gasped. "You're no human! You're... Perfection!"  
  
"Let me put it to you this way, Card Mistress. You join, they die. Take your pick."

* * *

**{Eriol's World}**  
  
_Eriol stood silently observing everything around him. Plum blossoms all around him seemed to dance with delight. He raised his head to see a beautiful girl in front of him. He smiled at her. Tomoyo Daidoji.   
  
Eriol looked around the magic free world. He closed his eyes. Memories of his past came into his head. Images of a mother and a father; regular schooling; winning a soccer tournament; failing a test; falling in love...  
  
He was normal.  
  
Eriol looked up again to see Tomoyo right in front of him. "Tomoyo..."  
  
"I was worried when you didn't show up for tea, Eriol! Hurry up! Your Mother is waiting!"  
  
Eriol looked shocked. "My... Mother?"  
  
Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "Of course, silly! Who else?"  
  
Eriol smiled. He ran along with the girl he loved. No longer was he burdened with being a reincarnation or having magic. He had real memories. True memories.  
  
Did life get anymore perfect? _

* * *

**{Syaroan's World}**  
  
_"Come on Syaroan! We're going into this store!"  
  
Syaroan looked around, smiling back at Tomoyo and Meiling. Beside him, Eriol was rolling his eyes.   
  
"Coming, Tomoyo!," he called back to her. All around people were chatting to one another as they walked around Hong Kong Mall. He heard echoing laughter, almost as if this all wasn't real. Syaroan walked into the store, following his friends up and down the aisles of jewelery. He stopped as his eyes rested on a pink bracelet with a star in the middle.   
  
"Didn't I see this design before?," he wondered out loud. "Something doesn't feel right."  
  
"Syaroan, my love, how does this look on me?" Syaroan looked up, hearing Meiling's voice.   
  
"Meiling.. I don't... love... you..."  
  
"Syaroan! Were engaged! Don't be so silly" Meiling turned around, modeling her necklace for Syaroan.  
  
"Engaged? We broke out engagement! I love... who do I love?"  
  
"Syaroan? Are you feeling okay?," Tomoyo asked, walking up to him.  
  
"I... can't... remember...," Syaroan muttered.  
  
"Syaroan! Get a grip! You... you.. proposed to me!," Meiling cried out.  
  
"I... did?"  
  
"Syaroan... man... you're freaking us out!," Eriol said, putting an arm around Tomoyo.  
  
Syaroan looked back at the pink bracelet. Why was it so familiar? It was almost as if... as if... he'd seen it before. The star in the middle... where had he seen it before? "I can't... remember..." Syaroan cried out.   
_  
"Syaroan..."  
  
_Syaroan looked up. That voice! He'd heard it before! But... where?_  
  
"Syaroan.... Syaroan..."  
  
_"Syaroan, please, you're scaring me!," Meiling pleaded._  
  
_"Meiling... do you hear it? They're calling my name..."_  
  
_"Who is?! You're scaring me! Please, Syaroan..."_  
  
"Syaroan... please... I love you..."  
  
_Syaoran gasped. The star! Japan! The Sakura Cards! "Sakura! I remember!"_  
  
_"Sakura? Who's she? Syaroan, what are you-" Tomoyo started.  
_  
_Syaroan smiled at his friends, turning to face Meiling. "You're so protective, Meiling. Even in dreams." He paused. "Force, know my plight! Release the light!" A bright light consumed him..._

* * *

Sakura let the tears flow down her cheeks as she watched her friend's dream. Tomoyo... wanted magic? All these years... she felt like a tag along? Meiling was jealous of her love? Tomoyo and Eriol's love? Syaoran.... why wasn't she in his dream? He was hurt that badly? And Eriol. All these years he wanted to be normal? With normal memories? Live a magic-free life? " I never knew how much they... wanted..."  
  
Perfection smiled. "You see Card Mistress? It is better this way. Nobody is suffering."  
  
Sakura shook her head. "No! This can't be right! Nobody has a perfect life! It wouldn't be worth living if it was perfect!" Sakura turned away from her friend's dreams. "Tomoyo! Meiling! Eriol! WAKE UP!" She shouted at the wall. A bright light came from Syaoran's World. Sakura looked up in panic – did Perfection kill him? "Syaoran! NO- wait. Where is Syaoran's World? Did it... disappear?"  
  
Perfection gasped at the missing World. "Impossible! No one can escape!"  
  
Sakura smiled; hope was taking her over. Maybe the window was portal to reach him through! "Syaoran! Can you hear me? Where are you? Are-"   
  
**{Sakura's World...}**  
  
_"Right here, Sakura..."  
  
Sakura turned around seeing a sixteen year old boy standing front of her. She looked around. The dark tower was gone. Perfection was gone. They were alone, together, in Syaroan's room.  
  
"Sakura? What's wrong?" Syaroan asked coming closer, wrapping his arms around her.  
  
Sakura looked shocked, as she was still holding her Star Staff and dressed in a pink battle costume. Syaroan was in different clothes, more relaxed than his tan jeans and green sweater. "What's going on?" she asked softly.  
  
Syaroan chuckled. "What do you mean Cherry Blossom? Isn't this what you wanted?"  
  
"What I .... wanted?" Sakura mimicked.  
  
"To stop everyone from pulling us apart? The Li Clan Elders? The Cards? Your family? Your heath? We're finally together, now."  
  
"This isn't what I want." Sakura replied pulling from his embrace. She looked into his eyes, smiling. "You were the one who told me, Syaroan, that their has to be a balance between happiness and pain. That's what makes a world perfect. A world worth living in." Sakura remembered how she felt the day Syaroan came back to Japan. If they had been together all those years, things would have turned out differently.   
  
Sakura took a step back. "I guess I felt cheated out of those years. I wanted more time with you. I felt mad at whoever cursed me with cancer. I didn't understand why...Now, I see, I was wrong. There can't be happiness with out pain." She put a hand on his cheek. "You know, Syaroan, you look handsome even in a dream_. "RELEASE THE POWER!" _A white light erupted around Sakura._


	6. Chapter 5: True Perfection

**A Perfect World**  
  
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?

CARMEN: SAKURA KNEW SHE HAD CANCER...even before teh prologue!!! Those were flashbacks... have I answered your question?? Tell me in another review if I haven't!!  
  
**Chapter 5: True Perfection  
  
{Tomoyo's World}**  
  
_Tomoyo sighed. Life should always be this perfect! No longer was she the tag along without magic; no longer was Sakura the only one who got the attention in battle.   
_  
"_Don't think, Tomoyo."  
  
"This is like a dream, Eriol," she whispered.   
_  
"That's because it is, Tomoyo."  
  
_Tomoyo looked away from Eriol and towards her best friend, who was clutching her Star Staff. "Sakura?"_  
  
"Tomoyo... you've never been a tag along."  
  
_"Sakura, where did you come from?"_  
  
"Just because you don't have magic doesn't mean I never thought less of you."  
  
_Tomoyo's eyes widened; her world blackened. All that was left was her. And Sakura._   
  
_"All I wanted was magic. I wanted to be accepted more." Tears rolled down Tomoyo's cheek. She looked up, realizing that everything was gone. "Where did everything go? Eriol? What happened? Everything was so perfect...."_  
  
_"_Was it, Tomoyo?" Sakura asked gently. "Were you really happy?"  
  
_"Yes.. of course I was! So perfect...."  
_  
"You were happy being my rival? Weren't we happier being best friends?"  
  
_Tomoyo looked up in shock._   
  
"I never knew you were jealous, Tomoyo. I'm truly sorry. But, is this the way everything would be made perfect? If you had it all? If you only felt happy?"  
  
_"Yes. I would never get hurt. Ever!" Tomoyo cried out in rage._  
  
Sakura smiled. "If only you felt happy?"  
  
_Tomoyo eyes grew big again, considering what Sakura had just said.  
  
_"You once told me ' My happiness is when all the others around me are happy.' Do you remember, Tomoyo? Do you think I would be happy being your rival? Do you think you'd be happy?"  
  
_Tomoyo fell to her knees, crying. "I... I don't.. know!"_  
  
Sakura walked up to her best friend, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Life will never give you the best of everything. It's best this way. It helps us learn from our mistakes. It makes life worth living. Don't you agree?"  
  
_Tomoyo looked up. "Sakura.. I'm... sorry. You're right."_  
  
Sakura smiled. "Let's go get Eriol and Meiling, shall we?"

* * *

**{Meiling's World}**  
  
_Meiling was taken back. Wasn't this always what she wanted? To be loved? To belong to someone in a special way? Like Sakura belonged to Syaroan? Like Tomoyo belonged to Eriol? Was it possible that she, Meiling Li, could find love? Wasn't this all she wanted? What she told Sakura back in Japan all those years ago? What she was waiting for?  
  
"Taylor..."  
_  
_Taylor walked up to Meiling, wrapping his arms around her. Meiling sighed, letting all her worry escape her mind. She accepted the red rose her brought her.  
  
This is all so perfect! Just like in all my dreams! I can't believe this is all true!_  
  
"Meiling."  
  
_Meiling looked up to see Sakura and Tomoyo standing in the ballroom. Tomoyo was standing farther back, as if waiting."Daidoji? Kinomoto? What are you two doing here?"  
_  
"Meiling, is this what you want?" Sakura asked. "Is this what you think is perfect?"  
  
_"Sakura? What are you talking about? I'm.. I'm.. in love! Love is perfect!"_  
  
"Nothing is perfect Meiling."  
  
_"Oh, Sakura, please leave. I have company."_  
  
"You're living out your dream, Meiling. It's just too soon."  
  
_"What are you talking about? My dream?"_  
  
"Isn't that what you've always wanted? To fall in love?"  
  
_"I am in love, Sakura!"_  
  
Sakura looked at her, tears in her eyes. "To wait until you find someone who loves you more than anything? Isn't that what you told me all those years ago in Japan?"  
  
_"But, I've found him! It's Taylor!"_  
  
"Meiling, this is all a dream. He is not real."  
  
_Meiling screamed as Taylor; the rose and the ballroom disappeared. Tears welled up in her eyes as she fell to her knees. "No.. no.. Taylor! Come back! I need you!"_  
  
"Why do you need him to complete you, Meiling?" Sakura asked softly.  
  
_"He loves me, Sakura. LOVES ME! I.. can't... lose that!"_  
  
Sakura gave her friend a smile. "Just the way you felt about Syaroan. Am I right?"  
  
_Meiling looked up, her cheeks red from crying._   
  
"You deserve to find love, Meiling. Everyone does. But, even love isn't perfect. Not everyone finds total love the first time they look. Remember me and Yukito? Then I found Syaroan. You can be loved, Meiling."  
  
_"Perfect... everything was perfect!" Meiling spat out._  
  
"It's perfect when there's only total happiness? When you get everything you've ever wanted? When there's nothing left to live for?"  
  
_"I.. just want to be... loved... Sakura..," Meiling trembled._   
  
"You are loved, Meiling."  
  
_Meiling raised her head, looking towards Sakura. "I am? Who... loves me?"_  
  
"We do," Tomoyo answered walking up to her friend. "Nothing will ever be perfect, Meiling. You will find your special someone, though you may have to look longer. It will be that much more worth it, in the end though."  
  
"Is this really a perfect world, Meiling?," Sakura asked again very calmly. "A world without the people who care about you most? Who want to be with you?"  
  
_Meiling stood up, Tomoyo helping support her. "It's not, Sakura. I'm sorry. I forgot who cares about me most."_  
  
"Meiling... Tomoyo... We have one more visit to make."

* * *

**{Eriol's World}**  
  
_Eriol looked around the magic free world. He closed his eyes. Memories of his past came into his head. Images of a mother and a father; regular schooling; winning a soccer tournament; failing a test; falling in love...  
  
He was normal._   
  
_.....  
  
Eriol smiled. He ran along with the girl he loved. No longer was he burdened with being a reincarnation or having magic. He had real memories. True memories.  
  
Did life get anymore perfect?_   
  
"This is what you want Eriol? To be free of responsibility?"  
  
_Eriol turned towards a green eyed girl who stood in front of his and Tomoyo's way. "Sakura? What are you doing? No wait- talking about?"_  
  
"You want real memories?" Sakura inquired softly.  
  
_"I have real memories, Sakura! I-I- even failed a test! I'm, I'm-"_  
  
"Normal?"  
  
_"Yes. I'm normal. Leave me alone!"_  
  
"You think this is a perfect world? A world without magic?"  
  
_"Magic is the cause of my pain, Sakura!"_  
  
"Without it, you never would have meet Tomoyo."  
  
_Eriol's mouth dropped as Tomoyo faded from his side. "Tomoyo? TOMOYO?"_  
  
"You have memories with us, Eriol. The card captor days. The day you fell in love with Tomoyo. The real Tomoyo. Of all the years we spent in Japan together. Are those not memories?"  
  
_"It's not the same! You'd never understand, Sakura! Your not a reincarnation! Your memories aren't of someone else who died!"  
_  
"It doesn't matter to me, Eriol." Tomoyo said, walking from her hiding spot.  
  
_"Tomoyo.."_  
  
Tomoyo smiled at her boyfriend and turned to Sakura, who continued talking. "Perfect worlds are nothing without equal happiness and pain. Don't you agree, Eriol?" Sakura smiled.  
  
_"I.. guess..."_  
  
"Don't guess, Eriol!" A sharp voice from behind both girls came. Meiling smiled. "Know, Eriol. Know."  
  
_"Tomoyo.. I'm... sorry. This dream of mine.. is nothing... compared to you. Life is better without everyone's inner wants all the time."  
_  
Sakura smiled as Tomoyo and Eriol embraced. Meiling came to stand beside her, whispering in her ear. "Where is Syaoran?"  
  
Sakura's face filled with shock. "I need to find him! I need to save him!" She raised her Star Staff up, a bright, white light consuming everyone. 


	7. Chapter 6: Temptations

A Perfect World  
  
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?

**YES SAKURA KNOWS OF HER ILLINESS IN CHAPTER 2!!! SHE'S KNOWN SIENCE THE PROLOGUE!!! SORRY CARMEN I DIDN'T ANSWER YOU SOONER!!!**  
  
Chapter 6: Temptations  
  
Syaroan stood in Tokyo Mall. A single tear rolled down his cheek. In front of him were Eriol, Tomoyo and Meiling. No matter how hard he tried, they wouldn't wake up. He closed his eyes, only to open them when something made contact with his shoulder.  
  
That something was Eriol's arm.  
  
"Eriol? Meiling? Tomoyo? Your all... awake? How?"  
  
Tomoyo smiled. "Sakura helped us all to see what made life so great rather than living in a world full of wants. She's really something special."  
  
Syaoran's eyes filled with tears. "She's... alright?"  
  
"Of course, why wouldn't she be?" Meiling asked with a teasing smile. "Do you doubt her?"  
  
"I need to find her." Syaoran dashed off.  
  
"Want me to help?" Eriol offered. "Tomoyo?"  
  
Tomoyo shook her head. "No. Don't somehow, I don't think he'll need your help."

* * *

A bright light surrounded Sakura, who was lying on the floor of Perfection's palace. The three dreams remaining that were displayed on the mirror suddenly vanished.  
  
"What? How did those dreams vanish? First the boys'- now this!"  
  
"Because they realized that a perfect world isn't perfect after all." Perfection turned around to see Sakura standing up.   
  
"How did you break out of my dream world?"  
  
Sakura smirked. "Because there isn't anything your so called ' perfect world' offers me. You'll never take down me that way."  
  
"Even a cure from your cancer?"  
  
Sakura stopped short. A cure? NO! Sakura!! Chemotherapy WILL work! It's gotta.... I'm too young to die! I'm 16 years old!  
  
"You want a cure. And you should have one! Why do you get cancer? Do you deserve it? Does anyone deserve this pain?"  
  
"I... I... don't know."   
  
Syaoran ran towards the radio tower; he had to find Sakura. He had to help her- if this was anything like her dream, she was in big trouble. He called out his sword and board, trying to feel Sakura's aura. Sakura. Please be okay. What an idiot for getting made at her over nothing! Now he might not even see her again!   
  
"Sakura.... hold on. Please. I'm coming."

* * *

"Your lab results.... they pointed to a bad case in the first place, did they not?"  
  
Sakura flinched. "Yes...."  
  
"And, yet again, your lab results are bad. The doctor told you this could be your last round before chemotherapy doesn't work again. Am I right?"  
  
"He said I might not live past 21...." Sakura had tears running down her cheeks. It was so unfair! How could life do this to her?  
  
"Accept my gift, Card Mistress. You can live- and be cured of this fate!"  
  
Sakura took a few cautious steps towards Perfection. "How do I accept?"  
  
Perfection smiled. 


	8. Chapter 7: To Become Perfect or NotThat ...

**A Perfect World  
  
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?  
  
Chapter 7: To Become Perfect or Not... That is the Question!**  
  
Syaoran blindly ran through the streets of Tokyo. He felt power from all over; there was no way he could pin point Sakura's exact location. But something tells me I'm not going to have to. Right in front of him stood Sakura, Star Staff and all. There was only one difference:  
  
Her eyes looked cold. Possessed.  
  
"Sakura!" He ran up to her, stopping only a few feet away.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura smiled. "I'm okay. Everything's okay now. I don't have to leave ever again." Her voice wasn't it's usual gentle sound. It sounded different; just like the sealed card had sounded. What was the word for it? Confused... evil... betrayed.  
  
"Sakura... what do you mean? What's going on?"  
  
"I'm cured... I'm almost perfect." Sakura eyes glowed as a tall figure landed beside her. "You're the only thing in my way."  
  
"Sakura," Syaoran backed up a bit. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Your in my way! Thunder!" Sakura fired a bolt of thunder in is direction. Syaoran's quick reflexes helped him dodge the deadly bolt. "Your the only one keeping me from achieving perfection."  
  
"Sakura... nobody's perfect. You know that..."  
  
"I will be perfect. Even if it kills you. And trust me- it will."  
  
Syaoran's eyes widened. "Why are you doing this? I love-"  
  
"NO! Stop it! It's the stupid love! Because you love me, and my former self loves you, in magic terms we're bonded- like one. But not quite. I've perfected my half- but you? You have so many faults it makes me sick! You intoxicate me!"  
  
Syaoran looked down. "I can't stop loving you- no matter how much I try. Even if it kills me."  
  
"Then join me- become perfect. You say you love me? Prove it," Sakura took a few steps towards him. "Become perfect. With me."  
  
Syaoran brought his head level to hers. "No."  
  
"Then suffer the consequences," Sakura jumped backwards. "Fight with me. Only the _perfect_ performance will win."  
  
Syaoran shook his head. "I will not fight. Not until you answer me why."  
  
"You want answers? Aren't all life's questions answered in Heaven? Gee, this would all be easier if you would just forget me! Oh well.. Can't be patient for 2 seconds to die? That's all it'll take. Promise."   
  
Promise..... Promise....  
  
{Sakura's Flashback}  
  
_ "You should go back. After I leave the day after tomorrow, they'll be nothing keep you here. Please. You promised me, Syaoran.... you _promised_."  
  
"I can't just forget you like that.... I can't just leave."  
  
Sakura shook her head. "And I don't want you to forget me. That's last of all and most important. I _never_ want you to forget me."  
_  
"You can't ask me to forget you, Sakura. I made a promise, remember? So, that means I can't die either. I can fight, but I won't. Not until you answer my questions."  
  
"Promises are nothing. They promised me life, and I get a death sentence. A death sentence! Perfection is everything- if everything is perfect than promises wouldn't have to be broken- in fact they wouldn't even have to be made! Everything would work out perfectly in the end!" Sakura struck him again and again with the thunder, hitting him 90% of the time. Syaoran screamed as the thunder hit him, yet he couldn't give up. _I can't give up on her.  
_  
"Your running away, Sakura. I don't know what it's from, I just know your running."  
  
"Shut _up_! Fiery!" Sakura sent out Fiery, who, in turn, left burn marks on his left leg.   
  
Syaoran bearly managed to pick himself up; but he stood. "I... don't know what from...but...you'll have to deal with it, Sakura." He fell as his burnt leg gave way. "I'm not your obsitcal, you are. You're your own bump in the road. If you accept whatever your running from and that you can't change it, this will all be over." He used his sword to push himself back up to face his girlfriend. "Accept Sakura that you'll never make your life perfect..."   
  
Sakura's eyes broke out of their trance just in time to see Syaoran fall....  
  
Her eyes grew wide as she neared him, knowing it was her fault that he might just die. "Syaoran? Please wake up.... please! I don't know what I'll do without you! I'm sorry...I was running. You were right. I'm so sorry...don't die! I love you..." She buried her face into her hands, letting out tears or sorrow.  
  
"And I love you, Cherry Blossom." Sakura gasped. Syaroan, now awake, was kneeling in front of her.   
  
"Syaroan!" Sakura threw herself into his arms. "You're awake!"  
  
"Yeah..." They stood up together, Syaoran protectively holding her while she cried.  
  
Sakura smiled, pulling away so she could look in his eyes. "I'm sorry...."  
  
"I know." He smiled at her. "It's alright."   
  
"I tried to cure myself... I can't escape it Syaoran. I just _can't_..." Sakura cried into his torn shirt. How could she tell him? Well... she'd have to. Now.  
  
"It's alright if you can't tell- Sakura? Sakura? Are you okay?"  
  
Sakura pulled away from him. _Why is my vision so blurry? It hasn't been this blurry since I almost died of an infection while I was being treated for my leukemia. No. NO! This isn't happening!_ "Syaoran, I have... have..."  
  
Sakura's world went dark before she could finish her sentence. 


	9. Epilogue: The Perfect Day

**A Perfect World  
  
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?  
  
Epilgue: The Perfect Day**  
  
**{Listen to: Perfect Day by Hoku!!!! [ **_Lyrics_** ]- only most written!}  
**  
_Sun's up   
_  
"Actually, they were all in a deep sleep, dreaming dreams of no hurt, fear, pain, war... only dreams of perfection and happiness. Whatever their personal view of a perfect world may be." Sakura corrected her boyfriend.   
  
_A little after twelve   
_  
It was a month since "perfection" tried to take over the world. Everything ended up alright- just as Syaoran had predicted just over a month before. They had stopped perfection and nobody- except for themselves, Meiling who returned to Hong Kong, Tomoyo and Eriol- knew what happened. And none of them were telling. Not that anyone would believe them.   
  
_Make breakfast for myself_   
  
Turned out that Sakura had come out of remission just days after the visit before the lab marks were mixed up- and caught a nasty cold just before the visit where the lab marks were mixed up! Talk about bad timing.  
  
_Leave the work for someone else_   
  
She had been admited to ICU after fainting when she tried to tell Syaoran about her lukemia. For almost a month she battled the cold virus on top of the cancer. She had pulled thorugh just days before- and was now responding to treatments.  
  
_People say   
_  
Finally admitting to Syaoran and her close friends was hard- she really had no choice. They all knew something was up- and, in the end, she had to tell them. Each of them took it well- of course she left out that her life expancy was 21- but, who knows? Maybe that'll change? Things were looking up!  
  
_They say that it's just a phase   
_  
Syaroan laughed and placed his arms around her from behind. "Everyone's dream but mine."  
  
_They tell me to act my age,_  
  
"What did you dream of, Syaroan? I mean I saw it... but not really. What did you perceive it as?"  
  
_Well I am   
_  
"A world without you."  
  
_On this perfect day,_  
  
Sakura nodded. Yeah, I wasn't in his dream! That's right!. "Everyone's dream was supposed to be of perfection; happiness; peace... why wasn't I there?"  
  
_Nothing's standing in my way_   
  
"My perfect world was away from the Li Clan...away from the magic that caused me so much pain...I guess that meant taking away from everything magical. But, it also showed me, that there needs to be a balance between pain and happiness. You can't have one without the other." He paused for a second as a thought came into his head. "How did 'perfection' actually come to be?"  
  
_On this perfect day,_   
  
"Well, turns out that by my powerful will, I gave her meaning. I guess I felt like life was perfect.... then I realized my life would never be perfect. Perfection wasn't a bad...uh.... person. Just felt betrayed. Why did the world create her if they didn't believe in her? But, in the end, I guess we stopped it." Sakura sighed- only to meet Syaoran's lips half way through.   
  
_When nothing can go wrong   
_  
"Enough depressing talk. I have a surprise for you."  
  
_It's the perfect day,_  
  
"Is it a cure from cancer?"  
  
_Tomorrow's gonna come too soon   
_  
"Hey, hey! Your responding to treatments! Don't push your luck!" Syaoran reached into a bag and brought out a box. "Open."  
  
_I could stay, forever as I am_   
  
"My birthday was two months ago! What's the occasion?" Sakura asked curiously.  
  
_On this perfect day   
_  
"Well, I think recovering from the ICU deserves a little something." Syaoran smirked. "Besides, this can't wait till your birthday."  
  
_Sun's down   
_  
"I guess I have to open it then." Sakura giggled. The box wasn't very big- not a very big gift could fit inside. "What could be so small?" Sakura ripped off the pink paper and opened a white box. She began to read the card...  
  
_A little after ten   
_  
Her jaw dropped.  
  
_I pick up all my friends_   
  
"Syaroan..." Sakura fingered seven pieces of paper, the card, and a cherry blossom headpiece.   
  
_In my Mercedes-Benz   
_  
"Front row, center seats. I have the eighth ticket." Syaoran took his girfriend's hand. " Me, Tomoyo, Eriol, Your Dad, Meiling, Touya and Yukito. Were all coming to see you win Nationals this spring."  
  
_Wake up   
_  
"Syaoran...Nationals are in May! That's....nine months away! And I'm gonna be stuck bed-bound for at least 6-8 weeks after I recover! That leaves me what- tops five, six months? And I haven't even started a routine yet!"  
  
_Don't tell me it's just a dream_   
  
"You never presented your last one, right? It was a routine to a flower type music? Sakura, whenever I see you dance....you remind me of cherry blossoms. This headpiece reminds me of your routine. Besides, I've seen you doing mental run throughs plently of times! Sakura?"  
  
_'Cause when I've had enough   
_  
Sakura had tears in her eyes. "Yes?"  
  
_You'll hear me say,   
_  
"Don't give up your dream to compete in Nationals. Every time you miss an oppertinuiy it opens two new doors and makes you work that much harder. When you get there, even if you don't win, it'll all be worth it. It's really your choice in the end- I can't make you do anything. I just thought you were the kinda girl who never gave up on anything."  
  
_Now don't you try to rain on my   
_  
"This headpiece will see Nationals, Syaoran, one way or another. I don't know when- but it will. I promise." Sakura smiled lovingly up at her boyfriend. "Thank you, Syaoran. Without you... I'd probably give up. Thanks for.... picking me back up again. I guess I just needed that extra confidence."  
  
_Perfect day,_   
  
"Any time, Sakura. I love you."  
  
_Nothing's standing in my way   
_  
"Love you too." Sakura kissed him gently. "Wanna go outside? Sunny.... mild clouds... and the cherry blossoms are coming out from hiding!"  
  
_On this perfect day,_   
  
"_All_ the cherry blossoms are coming out of hiding."  
  
_Nothing can go wrong_   
  
"Exactly; it's a perfect day." Sakura's hand covered her mouth in surprise.   
  
_It's the perfect day,_   
  
Syaroan chuckled. "No. I think it's safe to say that today is the perfect day. Good weather, your results are coming back good and your going to be in Nationals. And you just figured out something you used to know- nothing can keep you down. Yes, I'd say today is perfect."  
  
_Tomorrow's gonna come too soon   
_  
Sakura sighed happily into Syaoran's arms as they walked outside. Cherry blossom petals floated from the trees above. "It's just like his letter said," Sakura whispered to herself. "It's the perfect day to start something new."  
  
_I could stay, forever as I am   
  
On this perfect day_   
  
_Look out 2005 Nationals. Sakura Kinomoto is coming._

A/N: It's over...or is it? Should I write a sequel? I have an idea of what would happen if I did...so tell me in a review: and I'll email you when it comes out (if it does ).


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